Clean drinking water for farmers and communities in Cauca Nariño, Colombia

Today, at the occasion of the World Water Day, we celebrate our partnership with Fair Trade USA, AAA Coffee farmers from Cauca & Nariño and the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC) that have been working together since 2016 to address one of their biggest challenges – access to drinkable water.

In a survey conducted by Fair Trade USA and Nespresso, over half of Cauca-based coffee farmers have said that their water is very polluted and their next door neighbor, the city of Nariño, faces its own water crisis due to drought. Both departments run the risk
of environmental damage and illness, affecting the lives of thousands of people.

Given the water crisis, both Cauca and Nariño decided to make clean drinking water a priority.

The Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program farmers in Cauca voted to use their Fair Trade Community Development Fund – paid by Nespresso – to build water treatment plants on local aqueducts in 2016. Working with Fair Trade USA, Nespresso AAA consultants and the Colombian Coffee Growers Federation (FNC), they started the construction of the first water treatment plants in November 2017, and members of the community began drinking clean water not long after.

In 2018, inspired by the work in Cauca, Fair Trade Certified™ farmers in Nariño voted to use their Community Development Fund to expand the project to their region. To date, there are 18 new water treatment plants in Cauca, with plans to construct 20 more by April 2019. By the time the project is completed in 2022, clean water will be available to over 11,600 households in Cauca and 15,000 in Nariño, plus all schools, community centres, and health centres in the area.

Ensuring the prosperity and wellbeing of coffee farmers is the central aim of the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program. Thanks to our partnership, we are able to work together with farmers on the ground – putting them in the driver’s seat as they tackle the challenges facing their communities.

Read full article from Paul Rice, President and CEO, Fair Trade USA on the Positive
Cup Hub, by Nespresso (coming soon)